Saturday, March 1, 2014

Saturday fun: Where is this?


   Maybe it was the light. Or the sense of solitude. A definite quiet. Something about this man working ... or reading, or whatever he is doing on that laptop. He was sitting in ... well, that can be our Saturday activity. Where is he?
    Wherever he turns out to be, the scene made me think of Vermeer. There is such a calm, a poise to the Dutch master's subjects, intent on their sewing, their music, or just looking at the viewer with a "What did you expect?" expression. His Lady with a Pearl Earring became famous, but fame tends to diminish the power of an artwork, like sunlight fading a painting, so I'll offer up a less famous painting, for those unfamiliar with his work. You can see how I made the connection.
     The photo offers a few hints of where he is. A public space, obviously. Somewhat newish. Like last Saturday's puzzle, 15 minutes from my house in Northbrook. Since last week's prize was a bust -- the winner never sent her address in to claim her poster -- we'll try for something perhaps better: a signed copy of my recent memoir, "You Were Never in Chicago." Or, if you have it already, you can have a poster instead. I'll also change the rules slightly -- instead of emailing in your answer, or posting it to Facebook, just tuck it below. Good luck.


22 comments:

  1. If not for that confusing "15 minutes from my house in Northbrook", I would say the Inland Steel Building at Monroe & Dearborn.

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  2. "!5 minutes from my house in Northbrook" is confusing? It strikes me as fairly direct. I mean, "a 15 minute drive from my house in Northbrook." Did the missing words throw you? I thought they were implied.

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    1. I'm referring to that top photo!
      There's no way that's 15 minutes from Northbrook!

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  3. I'm guessing the "confusing" part is a self-deprecating jest in which the author recognizes that their answer cannot be correct based on the clue.

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  4. I have no idea where the man with the laptop is - altho it looks like a common area in a downtown hotel - but the photo on the top of your blog reminds me of the 8th floor of the Lyric Opera where the ticket and business offices are. Before completion of the west side of that floor, that above picture is what it looked like and all the smokers would go there in the winter for the "butt breaks" instead standing out in the cold in front of 20 N. Wacker.

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  5. A public library? (Although it doesn't look like what I remember of Northbrook's, so maybe another local one?)

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  6. no guess from me but a recommendation to all interested in Vermeer: A new documentary from Sony Pictures called "Tim's Vermeer" It tells the tale of a brilliant inventor with no experience as a painter who creates a stunning Vermeer using the technological tricks he thinks Vermeer used. Penn and Teller are heavily involved. It screened last night at the True/False film festival in Columbia, Mo. where Johanna and I are currently gorging on documentaries.

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    1. Saw Teller et al on "Charlie Rose" about this film; ideas seems compelling, looks like a cool doc.

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  7. Northbrook Public Library? How many guesses do I get?

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  8. This is nearly as Devlish as Andrew Sullivan's view from your window contest.

    Hmm. I think that "basket" on the floor is the key. Looks almost like some sort of fancy cat carrier. Hmm.

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  9. Wish I could think of something but I'm not in the Northbrook area that often.

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  10. I don't want to give it away and end the phone. But I will say -- "You're getting warm..."

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  11. Deerfield Public Library is newish, and I think they have a fireplace. Is that it?

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  12. Yes, Ellyn's got it! The new Glenview Public Library. Congratulations. Email me your address at dailysteinberg@gmail.com, and let me know if you want a poster or a book.

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  13. btw, I LOVE the Inland Steel Building at Monroe and Dearborn. Off the top of my non-Googled head, I believe that's Skidmore, Owings & Merrill from the 1950s, and could pass for something contemporary. Under-rated, marvelous design. If it has interiors like the one pictured above, all the more...

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    1. Starchitect, Frank Gehry bought Inland Steel, apparently to prevent it from coming down or altered. I was on the second floor for Open House 16 months ago & that's what it looked like, as they had stripped it to the bones & were going to totally redo that floor & possibly others.
      Each floor is actually very small. with all the utilities & elevators in sort of a separate section on the east side of the building.

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  14. now that...THAT is a prize I'd fight over....looking forward to next contest!

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  15. Some people are so cheap, they gripe of link problems. Order the darn paper already!

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